Daniel Craig: His new film is being censored in Turkey

MUBI Fest Istanbul, which was supposed to be held from November 7 to 10, has been canceled. Organized by the MUBI platform, the festival was to be held in Istanbul this year and was to have the opening film Queer, the latest feature film by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Challengers) starring Daniel Craig, Far. The role of James Bond.

This time he plays Lee, a gay, drug-addicted American immigrant living in Mexico who pursues a young man named Allerton (Drew Stark), a recently discharged US Navy SEAL from Jacksonville, Florida.

But the film, based on William S. Burroughs’ novel, was subject to last-minute censorship by the Turkish authorities, who ordered its release, saying its content “provocative“And it might be dangerous”social peace“.

MUBI responds immediately

That was all it took for MUBI, founded in 2007 by Turkish entrepreneur Efe Çakareli, who has since specialized in the production, distribution and broadcasting of arthouse projects, to respond – and firmly. The British platform has in fact taken an irreversible decision: to cancel the event entirely, arguing that the ban will cause harm “The very essence and purposeof the festival.

QueerReleased in the US by A24, it had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it received such positive reviews that after the festival, MUBI was able to sell the film in several territories, including the UK, Ireland, Canada. , Latin America, Germany, Austria, Benelux, Spain, Turkey and India, as well as all its rights except for theatrical distribution in Italy.

Check out the platform’s full announcement (via Variety):

“A few hours before the opening of MUBI Fest Istanbul 2024, which we have been meticulously planning for months and which was announced a few weeks ago and sold out a few days ago, we were informed that Queer – the opening film screening. The festival was banned by the decision of the governor of Istanbul’s Kadikoy district.

The ruling said the film was banned on the grounds that it contained provocative content that could threaten social peace, and that the ban was imposed for security reasons. We believe that this ban is a direct restriction of art and freedom of expression. Festivals are spaces that celebrate art, cultural diversity and community, bringing people together. This ban does not apply to just one film, but undermines the essence and purpose of the festival.

For this reason, MUBI has decided to take a stand on what our audience expects from us. It is with deep sadness that we inform you of our decision to cancel the entire MUBI Fest Istanbul. We would like to say a big thank you to all the artists, community and supporters who eagerly waited to participate in the festival. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and solidarity. We know you are just as upset about this situation as we are.

We will continue to advocate for the protection of free expression and artistic integrity. Information about ticket refunds will be provided later.“

Since its debut in 2023, MUBI Fest has grown internationally, planning its next editions in South America, the United States, Canada and Italy. This Istanbul edition promised local festival-goers the chance to discover projects such as Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, Coralie Fargeat’s Substance, Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days, Andrea Arnold’s Bird and Miguel Gómez’s Grand Tour.

Queer does not yet have a planned release date in France.